Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-23
VOLCANO OF ASOzAN..
A VISIT TO THE FORMER WON
DERFUL SPOUlER.
to Wallis Present Appearance
Sulphur Caterers Progress.

1t hardly seems possible that person
with open eyes, in broad daylight, could
walk into the crater of volcano without
knowing it, especially when that crater is
the object for which he is searching. My
first experience was with the great volcano
of Asozan, rising in the middle of this
southern Island of Klusiu. On the morn
ing of the Dist instant we moved out of the
grand harbor of Nagasaki. After round
ing the most dangerous point on the coast
of Japan we pushed eastward through the
Straits of Shinabara, where the water
rushes through with terrific force, making
at times veritable maelstrom, to Hya-
kwau, seaport of Kumamoto, the largest
city in the island. From here | proceeded
to Kumamoso, and thence, between broad
fields of rice and other cereals to Omen.
On this route one is simply smothered in
luxuriant vegetation.
As we approached Omen we began a
slight ascent; finally deep gor9e was
struck between two lofty and PERCEPTIONS
cliffs, which ushered Us into what seemed
to be broad and fertile plain. In the
distance rose the green isles of & lofty
mountain group. On the side of one of
these could be seen the cloud of steam
elected from the boilings of Omen. We
could see nothing of volcano as vet,
though we knew that Omen was on the
route.
Leaving our jinrikshas, we turned off
the main road and toiled on foot up the
steep ascent. As we came into the little
hamlet the doors and windows were filled
with a curious crowd of natives, all in
their bathing robes. When the japanese
battle they soak all day long. Often they
lie in the large stone baths with their
heads on the stone steps and actually go to
sleep and remain for hours in that position.
After engaging guide to take me to the
volcano on the following day, | strolled
out to see the view and watch the sunset.
Climbing neighboring hill that | might
see both north and south, | was surprised
and mystifed to see that the whole hori-
ION was one immense palisade. Which
ever way | turned, there was that wall, al
most perpendicular, thousand feet high.
Its top all around was as smooth as a floor.
1t looked exactly like the palisades of the
Hudson, only higher. There were one or
two breaks or gorges through it. By one
of these had entered in the dusk of even
ing without noticing particularly my sur
rorndings. Here the fact burst upon me
that | was already in the crater and
around me rose the crater wall. 1t was a
startling discovery. Here, where l stood,
the fiery center of the earth had in CEN
turtles past sent up its molten lava and
deluged the surrounding plains with fiery
destruction. Yes, this was the crater of
Asozan, fifteen miles from wall to wall con-
tanning within its walls miles and miles of
cultivated fields and more than eighty vii
lagos. To think that the jaws of this once
seething firepit should become the scene of
such quiet rural life Within this old
crater there are now deep valleys and
lofty mountains. One of these is now an
active volcano, which the intervening hills
hide from view. To this, the next morn
ing before the sun had reclaimed the val
ley from the nights fog, my guide was
leading me.
As we reached the summit of the inter
vening hight the sun appeared yellow
through thick cloud of sulphurous
smoke, that since the foundation of the
earth has lowered and brooded over the pit
beneath. Asozan rose before lis, its rugged
sides, SCARED by the struggles of eruptions
long ago past, forced against their will to
be the bed of rolling lava streams and to
bear upon their breasts the scoria which
mother earth long since refused to contain.
Now we are on the side of the mountain,
our feet sink in the soft sand and ashes of
our path now we have gained the summit
and the variable breeze blows a cloud of
sulphur smoke into our faces whose intol-
cradle stencil almost drives us back but
the wind veers Before us vawns the gulf.
| step to its brink and look down 800 feet
to see what looks like pool of boiling
dirty milk. Around it are holes from
which pour sulphurous sitting fumes, max
ing on every lip and ledge Of rock above
yellow stalactites of sulphur. | can think
of nothing but an immense sore.
1t looks unhealthy and unnatural, a
livid cancer too horrible for adequate de-
scription Again the wind drives well
come veil of smoke between US, and we
make our way along the brink to get a
view from different standpoint. We
stumble against curious rock. What is
this? 1t is an image, the deity Of Asozan,
before which the ignorant and half-wild
sulphur gatherers bow and pray before they
Ten years ago in spite OF these prayers,
ten poor fellows persisted in the flames On
the opposite side saw the tortuous and
narrow path by which the bottom is
reached | did not care TO descend it, and
yet there was fascination about it that
drew me around to the path | thought |
would Just venture in a few yards, but these
few urged me farther and farther, till |
l., 4 L.,
about foot wide On one side rose the
,almost perpendicular wall of the, crater;
on the other yawned the gulf. | turned
now this way, snow that, wriggling around
corners, and peeping over the edge, think
ing how horrible it would be to meet any
one on such a narrow path, when | heard
wild yell above me. Looking up ! saw a
dozen sulphur gatherers, with their baskets
on, their backs, bounding down in a most
wrecl;less way. My blood almost froze
How were they to pass me unless | went
all the way down to the very bottom? /
squeezed myself against the side of the
wall and waited breathlessly till they
turned the nearest corner, then | yelled
with all my might They came to a sud-
den stop and stared ut me in wonder, for
was the first foreigner perhaps they had
ever seen trespassing on their territory.
Ny fears were dissipated quickly, as they
bent down and glided around me like
ghosts, while ! looked over my shoulder,
expecting to see each in turn fall over the
edge. \ moment more and they were out
of sight, bounding like chamois down the
the perilous path, singing wild song on
their way to their hazardous work
made the best of my way out, stopping
| long enough to gather some beautiful
specimens of sulphur from the crevices Of
the wall.
During all this time the crater sent forth
a continuous roar and hiss that was deafen-
ing, and from time to time | could feel a
slight trembling of the earth. When |
reached the top / found my guide anxiously
awaiting my appearance. He was as glad
to see me out safe as | was to be there As
we walked down the mountain across the
hills and valleys to Omen | felt impressed
that in grandeur and responsiveness no sight
could equal that of an active volcano.
This State has good many women
cashiers and a contemporary notes the
fact that not one of them has tied to Can
ada. 1t is a gratifying fact, and yet it
shows that women can not master the in
ner intricacies Ct business to half the ex-